Swab for oil wells



April 5, 1949. H. E. BOWERMAN ET AL 2,465,572

' SWAB FOR OIL WELLS Filed July 17, 1947" Patented Apr. 5, 1949 SWAB FOR OIL WELLS Hulie E. Bower-man, Grand Prairie, and

. Gilbert 0. Waldrop, Irving, Tex.

Application July 17, 1947, Serial No. 761,635

4 Claims. 1 l

This invention relates to well swabs and more particularly to resilient cups or sealing members, therefor, of the fluid expansion basket type, having reinforcing of rigid material in one part and another reinforcing of yieldable material in another part.

The invention may readily be comprehended from the following specification together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure I shows a cup assembled with a supporting mandrel;

Figure II shows a modified form of cup structure;

Figures III and IV show other modifications of cup structure.

A swab cup is designed to be used with a tubular mandrel having suitable means, such as offset shoulder 6, for supporting a thimble 1. The cup 8 is made of elastic material, such as rubber or neoprene compounds, which are suitably elastic and resistant to oils, acids, etc. Now this material by which the seal with the mandrel and with the well pipe is effected will not be strong enough to resist the loads encountered. Therefore, we have provided a novel bushing having a lower tubular section 9, with an outwardly flaring section l0, and an upwardly projecting section I I, for reinforcing the cup and receiving and retaining the wires or rods l2 in openings H3 in the outwardly flaring portion ill thereof.

In Fig. I, reinforcingwires of spring steel are preferably used and are so formed at their lower ends it as to pass upwardly through openings IS in section III of the bushing. End H of wire 12 will give support to the wire to secure it against outward movement, such as pivotal action, and secure it positively against movement beyond will bend outwardly with the sealing element,

or cups 8, as the latter expands under fluid load, 40 as will'later appear more clearly. To secure the wires from expanding beyond desired limits, we may provide a retaining ring l5 to receive through openings IS, the upper ends I! of the wires l2, which latter are bent inwardly, as at l8 so they will more readily pass over and guide the cup 8 past irregularities in the pipe, such as at its joints within the couplings. A sleeve I9 is provided for passing over the mandrel and seating on ledge 20 within the well 2i .of the cup below, when it is desired to provide a multiple number of cups on a single mandrel. Either with or without this sleeve the well 2| receives a part of the fluid to be lifted, which latter serves to expand cured against outward movement. In Fig. III,

wires are shown of the hair pin, or double type, and in Fig. IV are shown of the single type and without retaining rings at their upper ends, since the support against outward movement of these 5 parts, given by upper portions H of the bushings is sufficient, these rings are not needed to secure the upper ends of the wires against too great outward movement. This outward pressure is according to the pressure within the well of the cup when under load, and at this time the wires are pressed against the well pipe and prevented thereby from too great distortion while their upper ends serve to guide the body of the wires and the cup past obstructions. The wires aid greatly 5 in prolonging the life of the cup since they shield it from undue wear.

The assembly and operation of the cup and swab in the various modifications are essentially the same, and are as follows:

A bushing is selected for snugly receiving a mandrel of. the desired size, and ends of wires [2 are passed through openings l3 thereof. Cup body 8, of resilient material, is then molded, or otherwise formed, about the bushing and wires 5 to provide the sealing element of the assembly,

and having the fluid receiving well therein. The resilient material aids greatly in retaining the rigid bushing and yieldable wires in proper working assembly. a

The cup is then passed over the mandrel, which latter has a fluid passageway therethrough and conventional ball or other check valve therefor and means for attachment to a swabbing line connection, and the assembly passed downwardly in the well to the desired point into the fluid.

Upon upward movement of the swab the check valve closes and the pressure of the column of the fluid within the cup well expands the resilient body of the cup and the yieldable wires outwardly against the wall of the well pipe, and downwardly against the body of the cup to more firmly impact the resilient material against the mandrel whereby a more perfect seal is effected.

While we have shown the resilient material as extending downwardly to envelope the bushing,

it will be understood that this form is not essential. The down thrust is received and carried by the bushing to the thimble, while the resilient material serves to effect a working seal with the mandrel and the well pipe.

Other modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art and all such are intended as fall within the scope of'the following claims.

What we claim is:

1. A swab cup assembly including a flexible cup body, a bushing molded in the lower portion of the body, having outwardly and upwardly extending portions, and reinforcing wires for the body having their lower ends passing through openings in the outwardly extending portion of the bushing. I

2. A swab cup assembly including a flexible cup body, a bushing molded in the lower portion of the body having outwardly and upwardly extending portions, and reinforcing wires for the body having their lower ends passing through openings in the outwardly extending portion of the bushing, and their upper ends bent inwardly.

3. A swab cup assembly including a. flexible cup body. a bushing molded in the lower portion of the body having outwardly and upwardly extending portions, and reinforcing wires for the body having their lower ends passing through openings in the outwardly extending portion of 4 the bushing. and their upper ends bent inwardly. and a portion of the bushing restraining the wires against outward movement.

4. A swab cup assembly including a flexible cup body, a bushing molded in the lower portion of the body having outwardly and upwardly extending portions, and reinforcing wires for the body having their lower ends passing through openings in the outwardly extending portion of the bushing, and their upper ends bent inwardly, and a portion of the bushing restraining the wires against outward movement at one point and a means at the upper ends of the wires restraining the latter from outward movement at another point.

HUIIE E. BOWERMANi GILBERT C. WALDROP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the die of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,520,400 Boynton Dec. 23, 1924 2,109,913 Thaheid Mar. 1, 1938 2,305,282 Taylor, Jr., et a1. Dec. 15, 1942 

